Efforts to save the Iran nuclear deal are in trouble at the United Nations General Assembly.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in his address called on the U.S. rejoin the deal and remove sanctions.

And until that happens there will no negotiations with Washington.

CGTN’s Nathan King is at the United Nations with more.

The Iranian president used his speech in front of world leaders to stress once again Iran won’t negotiate with the U.S. until Washington lifts sanctions and rejoins the Iran nuclear deal.

“On behalf of my nation and state, I would like to announce that our response to any negotiation under sanctions is negative. The government and people of Iran have remained steadfast against the harshest sanctions in the past one-and-a-half years ago and will never negotiate with an enemy that seeks to make Iran surrender with the weapon of poverty, pressure and sanction,” said Hassan Rouhani the Iranian President.

Rouhani rejected a personal meeting and photo opportunity with U.S. President Trump until their demands were met. Rouhani pushed a peace plan for the region that would require the withdrawal of U.S. forces. Meanwhile, the remaining signatories to the Iran nuclear deal met on the sidelines of the General Assembly. The European Union admitted saving the deal was getting tougher and tougher.

“I will not hide that it is increasingly difficult to do it and we have discussed today the fact that we will try to continue keeping the agreement in place and overcome the difficulties that we are facing,” said Federica Mogherini of the European Union.

The Europeans urged Iran to return to compliance, while neglecting to mention Washington’s unilateral withdrawal and resumption of even tougher sanctions. And, the U.S. imposed yet more sanctions, this time on Chinese companies involved in Iranian oil purchases. Washington said they would crack down further on nations who deal with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“The United States will intensify our efforts to educate countries and companies on the risk of doing business with IRGC entities and we will punish them if they persist in defiance of our warnings,” said Mike Pompeo the U.S. Secretary of State.